Trump, Obama Hold Dueling Michigan Rallies

President Trump and former President Obama held rival Michigan rallies over the weekend ahead of the Nov. 3 election, campaigning for candidates in a closely watched U.S. Senate race.

Obama headlined a Saturday rally at Detroit’s Cass Technical High School for Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson, and other Democrats, framing the election as “an inflection point.”

In Port Huron Sunday, Trump stumped for Senate candidate Mike Rogers and gubernatorial candidate John James, who both addressed the crowd. Trump also criticized El-Sayed, warning that he would gain access to sensitive national security information if elected.

Meanwhile, Detroit set a first-day early-voting record, with 2,305 ballots cast across eight centers, topping its 2024 presidential mark.

Michigan Violent Crime Hits 7-Year Low

Michigan’s violent crime rate has fallen to its lowest level in seven years, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office announced Monday.

Michigan recorded 176 homicides in the first half of 2026, the fewest for that period since record-keeping began in 2016, while robberies have fallen by roughly half since Whitmer took office and law enforcement has seized more than 1,000 illegal guns under Operation Safe Neighborhoods.

Gov. Whitmer’s office credited public-safety investments, including higher trooper pay, and said murders are down more than 40% since 2021.

The drop continues a multi-year decline, though Michigan’s violent crime rate remained above the national average in 2024.

Report Warns of Skilled Trades Gap

In the Jackson area, builders are working to replace a skilled-trades workforce that’s aging out, with nearly 1 in 4 tradespeople nationwide now 55 or older.

The Jackson area’s home builders association is introducing children to the trades through hands-on events. The association’s Patrick O’Dowd warned that a thinning workforce will “impact every community, every sector of the economy,” pointing to the housing shortage.

The local squeeze mirrors a national one: a new report from an alliance backed by Ford and other corporate heavyweights found training programs are producing just 55 skilled-trades workers for every 100 needed.

The Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades projects about 1.7 million trade openings a year through 2035, with demand for electricians, HVAC technicians, and industrial machinery mechanics growing faster than the overall job market.

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➤ Statewide: Michigan launched an online tool called MI WEST to help Healthy Michigan Plan members understand new Medicaid work requirements beginning in 2027. The tool helps users check whether they qualify for exemptions or need to take additional steps. (More)

➤ Also Statewide: Michigan is entering peak deer-crash season, with more than 58,000 collisions reported in 2025, resulting in 13 deaths and 1,724 injuries. AAA warns that October through December is the most dangerous period and urges drivers to brake firmly rather than swerve. (See Details)

➤ East Lansing: Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz began a three-day bus tour across southern Michigan Monday, visiting businesses, hospitals, and farms to strengthen statewide partnerships. (See Details)

➤ Flint Township: Police arrested 15 people during a shoplifting crackdown, recovering stolen merchandise and identifying several suspects with outstanding warrants. (More)

➤ Oxford Township: Oakland County deputies rescued a 77-year-old man who fell into Paint Lake while launching a boat Sunday. The man, who was not wearing a life jacket, remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition. (More)

➤ Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids Public Schools narrowed its superintendent search to three finalists, who will tour district schools and participate in public interviews Oct. 28. (More)

➤ Munising: The Grand Island East Channel Lighthouse, a Lake Superior landmark built in 1868, got its sandstone foundation stabilized during a three-week volunteer effort led by the Hiawatha National Forest and the nonprofit HistoriCorps. (Read Story)

➤ Michigan football coach Kyle Whittingham said Monday he won’t fire offensive coordinator Jason Beck despite the Wolverines ranking 130th nationally in offense. Michigan (4-3) heads to Rutgers next after an overtime loss to Indiana. (See Details)

➤ The Pistons improved to 3-0 with a 106-93 road win over LeBron James and the 76ers Sunday, led by Cade Cunningham’s 26 points. Detroit plays the Knicks in New York tonight. (More)

➤ The Michigan High School Athletic Association unveiled its football playoff brackets Sunday, with 288 teams qualifying statewide and first-round games set for Friday and Saturday. (See List)

➤ Michigan basketball, ranked No. 16, fell to No. 10 Houston 83-66 in its exhibition finale in Grand Rapids. The defending national champions open the regular season Nov. 2 against Oakland. (More)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: MLB | NFL | NBA | NHL

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➤ Michigan joined the Federal Trade Commission and 19 other states in suing Dollar General on Monday, alleging the retailer charged customers more at checkout than advertised shelf prices, collecting millions in unlawful overcharges. (See Details)

➤ Emirates is weighing Detroit as one of three possible new U.S. destinations for nonstop flights to Dubai, alongside Denver and Philadelphia, according to a travel-industry report. (More)

➤ Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum, the longtime Farmington Hills arcade, reopened Sunday at a new Orchard Lake Road location in West Bloomfield, nearly two years after its former home closed to make way for a Meijer. (More)

➤ WK Kellogg Co.’s Battle Creek headquarters keeps a roughly 30,000-item archive of vintage boxes, ads, toys, and other memorabilia chronicling the cereal maker’s history since 1906. (Read Story)

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➤ Could your next grocery trip cost less? When checkout totals squeeze your budget, a few changes to your shopping routine may help. Explore The Penny Hoarder’s grocery savings tips for ideas to try before your next store run. See which tips could work for your household.

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➤ Detroit Restaurant Week runs Nov. 2-8, with 24 Metro Detroit restaurants offering three-course meals for $36, $56, or $76. A dollar from each meal will benefit three local nonprofits, while diners can earn points toward $500 prizes by visiting participating restaurants. (Read Story)

➤ Spirit of the Manitou is restoring a Harbor Springs property that once housed a Prohibition-era casino and later a teen nightclub hosting the Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye, and Bob Seger. The nonprofit is also investigating rumored secret tunnels allegedly used by Detroit gangsters. (Read Story)

➤ Marquette held its first Polio Walk, highlighting a locally invented wooden lung that helped patients breathe during the U.P.’s 1940s polio outbreak. (Read Story)

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➤ They Did Everything Right. They Still Had Heart Attacks. Nicole, 57, ate clean and walked daily. Frank, 66, was told his numbers looked great. Both had blood pressure and cholesterol “under control.” What went wrong? Researchers are examining the tiny energy engines inside heart cells and how they change with age. See the three overlooked nutrients tied to heart strength →

The following stories are featured exclusively on The Flyover Podcast—a daily show that gives you the most important headlines in under 15 minutes. 

➤ A new study ranks the top 10 and bottom 10 car models for resale value. (See Ranking)

➤ Humana and UnitedHealthcare are dropping Medicare Advantage plans, upending coverage for 1 million seniors. (Listen Now)

➤ A passenger’s alarming text message caused an entire plane to be grounded, searched, and delayed overnight. (Hear Story)

Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum just reopened. What’s your go-to at the arcade?

1. Pinball
2. Skee-Ball
3. Classic video games
4. The claw machine
5. Not an arcade person
6. Other (reply to let us know)

Yesterday’s Results:

Could you see yourself living in a 150-year-old mansion?

1. No thanks, too much upkeep: 50%
2. Only if it’s fully updated: 26%
3. Yes, love the character: 23%
4. Other: 1%

Michigan has a surprising place in Prohibition history: in 1933, it became the first state to do what?

Show me the answer